If you suffered an injury at work, one of your next steps should be to see a doctor. He or she will diagnose your injury and recommend the appropriate treatment plan. Your employer may require you to see a doctor chosen by their insurance company, so you have to be careful about what you say. Here are some tips for communicating with a doctor after a work injury.
Be Completely Honest
When it comes to talking to a doctor about your work injury, honesty is always the best policy. Describe how you got injured at work, the symptoms you’ve experienced and how the injury has affected your life thus far. Under no circumstances should you exaggerate your condition. If it’s discovered that you weren’t truthful, you may be denied workers compensation benefits.
Provide Accurate Information About Your Medical History
Before you see a doctor, you will likely be asked to fill out medical forms in the waiting room. Although filling out these long forms may be tedious, it’s important to take your time and provide accurate information. Past injuries and health conditions may have an effect on your current injury, so your doctor needs to know details about your medical history.
Don’t Speculate
There may be certain questions your doctor asks you that you don’t know the answer to. If that’s the case, don’t try to guess, as that can complicate matters. Instead, tell your doctor that you don’t know the answer to the question.
Be Thorough
When you discuss your work injury with your doctor, be as detailed as possible. Even if you have a seemingly minor symptom, like mild neck pain in the morning, let your doctor know. Sometimes injuries can worsen over time. If your doctor knows about it right away, he or she can treat it properly.
You also shouldn’t omit details about how the accident occurred. It should be consistent with what you said in your initial accident report.
Avoid Speaking Negatively About Your Employer
If you suffered an accident at work because of your employer’s negligence, it’s natural to feel angry. However, you should avoid talking poorly about your employer to your doctor. It might damage your doctor’s first impression of you and get back to your employer.
If you got injured at work, consult a workers compensation attorney, like one from Rispoli & Borneo P.C.
